


Cherry Chap-stick

by EarthAngel



Category: Supernatural
Genre: First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-03
Updated: 2013-04-07
Packaged: 2017-12-07 09:09:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/746783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EarthAngel/pseuds/EarthAngel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a little first kiss fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter oneC

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy. Let me know if you have a moment.

Cherry Chap Stick

 

Chapter One

 

Jamie returned Mr Gower’s smile as the old man placed the large, white paper sack on the counter beside her register. She liked the elderly pharmacist and enjoyed it when he stood in for his son and the store was quiet as it had been today so they had time to chat between customers.

For an old guy, Emile was cool. She had been wary of him at first and he of her with her tattoos and piercings, but after a while they had got to talking and she had been surprised to find he was a gamer too and even more surprised that he was whupping her ass bigtime on the DMC leader boards.

“Meds for trench-coat over there.”

Emile smiled conspiratorially as he tipped his grey-stubbled chin toward the shelves where their only customer was lost in deep contemplation.

“I’ve called him three times now but whatever he’s looking at has him so fascinated that he ain’t hearin’ me.”

Jamie glanced over at the distinctive stranger. She had thought him a little odd when the other dude in the old black chevy had dropped him off outside, after all it was ninety degrees outside and he was wearing a suit and raincoat for god’s sake, but that had been almost an hour ago now and he was getting weirder, in her mind, by the minute.

 

wWw

 

The door to the store had been open when their car had drawn up, allowing a cooling breeze to meander into the place which was welcome as Mr Gower’s son was still too mean to fit air-con and Jamie had eavesdropped what bits of the conversation she could as the Chevy driver and trench-coat had spoken through the open car window.

“Pick up the meds, Cas and I’ll go hit the library and see what I can find. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Just wait here for me, okay?”

Trench-coat had nodded, his big blue eyes earnest as he leaned down to the driver.

“I will get the medicines, Sam.”

His voice was quiet but surprisingly deep.

“And I will wait for you right here as you say.”

Trench-coat had pointed to the curb and the driver nodded at his literal interpretation of the instruction, a brief smile warming his tired features as he began to turn away, but trench-coat’s worried voice had called him back.

“Sam?”

The tall driver tilted his head in question.

“I know Dean is much better now and we are not going to be away long...”

Worry was etched on trench-coat’s face.

“But you’re sure it’s okay to leave him?”

The driver smiled reassuringly.

“He’ll be fine, Cas, the fever’s broken and he’ll sleep now. He just has to heal up and it’ll take time, he was pretty beat up so we have to be patient. Get him the pain killers, they’ll help, okay?”

Trench-coat held the driver’s gaze for a moment, his face a study in sincere concern before nodding, reassured, as the driver pulled away and he turned to enter the store.

 

wWw

 

Castiel was overwhelmed with the range of product before him and it paralyzed his decision making capabilities to the point where he couldn’t make a simple choice. Thus as Jamie approached he turned to face her gratefully hoping she might help him break his en-passe.

“Can I help you with something? You’ve been standing here for ages and you look a bit lost.”

The angel nodded and passed his hand over the range of little plastic tubes and metal tins on the counter before him.

“I am aware I have been here for longer than may strictly seem necessary but I am somewhat confused by the various claims these items make so I would appreciate any help you could give me.”

Jamie smiled. ‘ _Yup, she was right in her estimation. The dude even talked weird_ ’. She glanced at the shelf he indicated.

“So...chapstick, huh?”

Castiel nodded, his blue eyes intent on her face.

“Yes, as you say, chapstick.”

Jamie expected more but the angel simply stood silently. ‘ _What could be so confusing about a simple chapstick_?’ She waited for a moment or two, anticipating he would explain his predicament.

He didn’t.

“So...you wanna buy a chapstick?”

She quirked her multiply-pierced eyebrow and watched the angel nod hesitantly.

“I believe so, yes. That is, I do if these tiny objects can fulfill the claims on their packaging.”

Jamie’s brow furrowed and she glanced from Castiel’s serious face to the display of oral emollients.

“Uh, claims? It’s just chapstick, dude. You just put it on your lips and it makes ‘em feel good. It don’t really do much else than that.”

She shook her head. ‘ _Why did she always attract the weird-sters?’_.

The angel’s face fell a little and he reached for one of the plastic capsules, bringing it close to his face to read the small text on the tube.

“This one, for example, says that it softens and protects.”

He held it towards Jamie and she leaned forward, squinting through her cat-eye contacts at the tiny writing.

“Un-huh...so it does. Well, soft lips are generally good so what’s the problem with that?”

Castiel nodded as he placed the first tube on the counter top and reached for a second.

“No problem...”

He glanced at her name-badge that was pinned at an oblique angel on her black t-shirt, just next to the slogan which read ‘And soon the dead shall rise’.

“...Jamie. I agree soft lips are very desirable. However, you see this one?”

He passed her the second, virtually identical apart from the colour, tube.

“This one says that it softens but moisturizes as well.”

Jamie briefly studied the chapstick before glancing back to trench-coat’s questioning face.

“Yup, it does. Do you have something against moisturized lips?”

Castiel shook his head.

“No. Moisturization is exactly what I am looking for in a product such as this.”

Jamie smiled and offered the tiny object back.

“Great, then why not go with that one?”

Castiel shook his head and reached again to the display, this time reaching for one of the little metal tins. He flipped it over in his hands and tapped the writing on it’s base.

“I wish it were that simple, Jamie. You see this one claims that as well as softening and moisturizing, it also soothes.”

He paused and looked expectantly into her mock-feline eyes.

“Okay, yeah well, soothing is good too. I guess soft, moist lips feel better so the soothing is sort of a happy by-product? Maybe get that one instead then?”

Castiel reached with his other hand for the first tube and held both items toward her.

“Yes, your reasoning regarding the soothing effect of the unguent is sound, but which is best?

He raised his hand with the tin.

“Softening, moisturizing and soothing...”

He offered his second hand.

“Or do I need the protective qualities that this one imparts? It is very important to me that I get the best one.”

Jamie sighed and took both the tube and tin in her own hands.

“Look, perhaps we should go back to why you want a chapstick to start with? Then we might be able to narrow the choice down a bit?”

The angel smiled.

“That is good thinking, Jamie. I feel that may help lessen my confusion considerably.”

She nodded and, glancing over to her left, reached for the two stools that were placed by the make-over mirrors.

“Here, sit. I’m getting a vibe that this may take some time.”

She handed one stool to Castiel and perched herself on the other.

“Now...Let’s start with what’s your name?”

She looked questioningly at the angel.

“Castiel.”

Jamie raised a curious eyebrow.

“Castiel, huh? Named for an angel?”

Cas nodded and Jamie huffed out a disbelieving little breath as she stared.

“Not everyday an angel comes in to buy a chapstick.”

He wriggled a little under her stare but offered nothing else and after a moment or two Jamie pressed on.

“Okay, Castiel. So let’s get to it. Why is it that you want to buy a chapstick?”

She glanced at the angel’s mouth and smiled, adding.

“Cause your lips look fine to me.”

He self-consciously pouted ever so slightly as he responded.

“Thank you, Jamie, I am happy that my mouth pleases you but the item is not actually for my own use.”

“Okay. Not for you. So..?”

She looked curiously at the seated man and he paused momentarily before continuing, his words carefully chosen.

“Well, you see, I have a...a friend...”

Jamie worked hard to keep from grinning. Working in a pharmacy she had had many conversations, ranging from slightly awkward to downright embarrassing about customers ‘friends’ and their needs, so she just nodded encouragingly.

“Yes, and my friend has been unwell...”

“Hence the antibiotics and bandages?”

Jamie cast her eyes down to the grocery basket at Cas’s feet and it’s haul of bandages, gauze and dressings.

“Indeed. My friend got injured nearly a week ago now and then developed a bad fever...”

Cas’s voice tailed off, his blue eyes darkening as memories of the past few days clouded in.

“That must have been really scary? Are things improving now?”

Concern softened Jamie’s voice and Cas smiled, grateful for her concern.

“Yes, the fever has broken now, things are improving, but it has been frightening as you say.”

Jamie smiled encouragingly, genuinely happy that the situation was becoming more positive. There was no doubting that the chap-stick angel was weird but then she had a sorta affinity with weird. She patted the trench-coat reassuringly where it covered his knee as she spoke.

“Sometimes we don’t notice how much we care about a person until something like that happens and then it kinda slams us against a wall, don’t it?

Cas held her gaze and she watched the fear he had contained churn in his wide eyes.

“And so I’m guessing you noticed that your friend’s lips had got dry from the fever? Hence your chap-stick quest?”

Cas nodded.

“Yes, exactly, Jamie. As I have sat and watched over my friend I have noticed that they, as you surmised, are a little bit cracked. It is not a condition I wish to see perpetuated as they are usually very soft and full but at the moment they just look sore.”

Jamie smiled at the man’s obvious familiarity with the intricacies of his companions mouth but did not comment on it as she reached for a little silver tin from the shelf.

“Okay, I’m getting where you’re coming from, Castiel. I think this might be the one you’re looking for. It’s medicated, see?”

She passed the tin to Cas but his eyes stayed on the girl’s face as she continued.

“It’ll do all those things the others said they do, soften, protect and such but it’ll sooth as well and heal the dryness. Stop them feeling so sore.”

Castiel smiled, his gruff voice gentled with his approval of her choice.

“That would be a good outcome, Jamie.”

Jamie grinned, pleased to see him smile as she quipped.

“Yup, it’ll put ‘em back in kissing order quick as a flash!”

The angel’s eyes widened and she watched his cheeks flush slightly but he said nothing, just glanced down at the tin in his hand, studying it with a distracted intensity.

The lid was tightly sealed and as Cas attempted to twist it loose, it spun in his fingers.

“Umm...”

He raised his face back up to Jamie’s, doubt re-tightening his mouth.

“We may have a problem, Jamie. The tin is a bit difficult to open. My friend has a hand injury and this might prove too challenging at the moment.”

Jamie frowned and reached back over to the display, checking out a few of the stick-type products, reading their labels, before turning back to Castiel.

“Here. How ‘bout this then as an alternative?”

She took the tin from him and dropped a blue tube-type into his hand.

“This one has the same healing properties but might be easier to open one handed.”

Cas nodded and flipped the tube experimentally in his nimble fingers, sliding the cover loose to expose the core of silky balm. He glanced up at Jamie and she smiled happily.

“Will that one be better? Do you think she’ll be able to manage it more easily?”

She watched the angel’s face, noting again a hit pinkness colour his cheeks.

“Yes, I do think that’ll be easier to manage. Thank you,Jamie.”

Relief and gratitude softened the angel’s angular face and Jamie grinned in return, pleased she had been able to solve the stranger’s chap-stick conundrum.

“So, we good to go?”

She moved to hop from the stool but hesitated as she watched Castiel fiddle awkwardly with the tube, his smile slowly fading.

“What’s wrong?”

Jamie patted his knee again and watched as the angel wrestled with a response.

“Just spit it out, Castiel. We were almost there!”

He turned the chap-stick self-consciously in his fingers for a moment, stirring up the courage to speak.

“Jamie. I’m not really sure...How exactly would my friend...apply this item?”

He held the small tube hesitantly, as if it were a great mystery and Jamie, rolled her eyes, indulgently.

“Well for goodness sake, she’s put lipstick on before now hasn’t she, dummy!”

She snatched the chap-stick, pretending to apply it to her lips and the colour in the angels’ cheeks deepened as he cast his eyes down.

Understanding dawned on Jamie and she realized her mistake.

“Oh, wait, I think I get it. This ‘friend’ of yours we are talking about, I’m guessing ‘he’s’ not a girl, right?”

Cas continued to look down at his hands, his eyes anywhere but on Jamie’s.

“Your ‘friend’, who’s lips you know so intimately...is a dude, right?”

She spoke quietly, her voice surprised but absolutely non-judgemental and waited the few seconds it took for Cas’s eyes to come back to meet hers. He nodded shyly.

“So lipstick’s not usually his sorta thing, huh?”

Castiel winced, shaking his head nervously and jamie’s heart flip-flopped at his vulnerability.

“It’s obvious he’s pretty special to you, isn’t he?”

Castiel bit his lip but said nothing and Jamie saw her answer in the moisture brimming in his deep blue eyes.

“Have you told him? How you feel about him, I mean?”

It was impulsively, out of her mouth before she could call it back even thought it was really non of her business and she watched as his eye twitched as if the question caused him pain.

“From the look on your face, that’s a no then?”

Cas nodded silently...miserably.

“Do you think he feels the same about you?”

The angel sighed, his head tilting to the side in question as he looked at Jamie. His voice was soft as he spoke.

“I don’t know what he feels, Jamie. How would I know? He...Dean, his name is Dean, is hard to read a lot of the time. He doesn’t really talk about how he feels.”

Jamie smiled sadly.

“Strong, silent type, huh?”

Castiel shrugged.

“Yes, that is a good way to sum Dean up. Sometimes though I look at him and I think i see something in his eyes...”

Cas stopped, the words catching tightly in his throat and Jamie swallowed at the glimpse of a vulnerability she knew she had been privileged to witness.

“Okay, look, not my business I know, so if we can’t solve that let’s at least sort out the big, how-do-you-handle-your-chap-stick, dilemma.”

She held up the little tube and turned the little wheel at the base, extending the stick of balm from it’s protective case.

“Pay attention, okay?”

Cas nodded intently and Jamie pouted her lips and pretended to gently stroke the balm on.

“So, you put some on your lips and then...”

She closed her mouth and rubbed her lips against each other, as if working the salve into her skin.

“You just smoosh it about like this, so your lips get totally covered. Okay, you clear on that?”

Castiel smiled.

“Yes, Jamie. I am clear. I think.”

She handed him the tube, looking playfully stern.

“You better try it. I need to be sure you know what you’re doing before I let you go back to Dean and his usually full, kissable lips!”

Cas raised an eyebrow but Jamie didn’t back down and after a few moments he lifted his hand and self-consciously dabbed the stick to his lip and smooshed as instructed.

“Unh!”

He grimaced.

“What?”

He held up the chapstick, his lip curled in disgust.

“It doesn’t taste nice, Jamie.”

She laughed indulgently and took the offending item from his fingers.

“Okay, well then we need to talk flavours, Mr Picky.”

Cas nodded, intrigued.

“So, lots of them are mint flavoured. Do you like the taste of mint?”

Cas shook his head.

“Chocolate? Do you like chocolate?”

Jamie grabbed a brown tube and placed it on Cas’s outstretched palm for him to consider.

“Wait a minute. I suppose more importantly what flavour would Dean like, seeing as it’s for him?”

Cas thought for a moment before responding.

“I know he likes M&M’s, so maybe chocolate would suffice?”

Jamie smiled, encouragingly.

“Who doesn’t like M&M’s? So yeah, he might like that one...or the other way to go is fruity.”

She winked and Cas blushed some more.

“Does Dean like fruit? There are lots of fruit-flavour ones.”

Cas laughed.

“Jamie, I can’t think of a single time I’ve seen Dean eat fruit, unless it was in a pie.”

Jamie grinned and grabbed a red tube from the display triumphantly.

“Paydirt, Castiel! If he’s a pie-head, then this has to be the perfect one. Succulent, sweet, cherry chap-stick!”

Cas took the tube triumphantly and they were still laughing as the roar of the Impala heralded Sam’s timely return.

 

Chapter ends


	2. Chapter Two

Cherry Chap Stick 

 

Chapter Two

 

Dean had slid down a little on the mound of pillows he was propped against when they returned but he was still sleeping and looked more comfortable than he had for days. Cas was pleased to see the look of pain and confusion he had worn for the past week had been replaced with something softer and altogether more peaceful.

He unpacked the antibiotics from the pharmacy sack and was in the process of popping a dose of pain pills from their blister pack as Sam came back in from the Impala, bags of groceries and supplies in his arms. 

“I got spaghetti for dinner.”

Sam spoke quietly so as not to disturb Dean as he placed the bags on the counter-top and Cas smiled appreciatively as he reached for glass from the nightstand.

“Do you think he’ll be able to manage some?”

The angel contemplated Dean’s bruised face. His jaw was hardly swollen now and the discoloration had faded considerably. He looked like himself again and Castiel was relieved and pleased that he did.

“I think so, maybe cut it up small for him though?”

Sam nodded as Cas handed him the glass and he filled it with water from the faucet.

“Yeah sure. He must be starving, it’s a week since he managed anything other than a few sips of soup. That’s a long time for my brother not to eat!”

The angel took the glass and placed it next to the waiting pills.

“Yes, it has been a long week, Sam, hasn’t it?”

Sam smiled ruefully.

“You said it. I’m glad you were here, Cas. I don’t know how I’d have managed without you.”

The angel returned the smile.

“I’m glad I was here too, Sam.”

On the bed, Dean snuffled, drawing their attention. The older man’s eyes fluttered but didn’t quite open, much needed sleep still holding gently on to him. 

“I might catch a shower, Cas, while he’s still quiet, if that’s okay? Then we’ll can do his dressings before dinner?”

Cas glanced at Dean’s heavily bandaged shoulder and hand. The wounds were deep and still oozing even now, a week after the creature had cornered him and torn him up. 

“That would be sensible, Sam. You go and take your shower. I will give him his tablets when he wakes and then hopefully it will not be as traumatic for him when we change his dressings.”

The younger hunter nodded, his face serious, his brother’s screams of pain too fresh in his ears for comfort.

“You sure you’re okay with that?”

The angel waved his hand toward the bathroom as he moved to sit on the bed opposite the Dean’s.

“I am very content with that, Sam. It is a good plan. You go, I am happy to watch him.”

Sam grabbed his towel and with one final glance to the bed, turned for the shower.

 

wWw

 

Dean was thirsty, his mouth parched and his throat scratchy with lack of fluids. He opened his eyes slowly and was relieved that this time it only took a couple of seconds for him to find a fairly steady focus. 

His focus was Cas. 

“Hello, Dean.”

Dean smiled as the angel rose from his customary position on Sam’s bed and sat carefully on the comforter beside the hunter, across from the pillows that cradled his bandaged arm. 

“Hi, yourself.”

His voice was gravelly from misuse and weaker than he would have liked but at least he was speaking now and not whimpering in pain anymore. 

“Where’s Sam?”

The angel gestured to the closed bathroom door. 

“He is just taking a shower. Do you need me to get him for you?”

Dean shook his head, his pale eyes holding the familiar blue. 

“No, ‘s’okay. I’m okay. You’re here, so it’s fine.”

Castiel smiled widely, the hunter’s words making him discernibly pleased.

“Do you feel you could manage a drink?”

Cas held a half-filled glass and Dean licked at his cracked lips, savoring the cool water.

“Mmmm, yeah. I...I’m parched.”

He stuttered and raised his good hand to try and take the glass. It proved to be remarkably heavy and Cas had to hold it steady as Dean swallowed gratefully.

“Slowly...”

The angel chided, easily pulling the glass from the hunter’s weak grasp. 

“I’m thirsty...Cas, don’t be mean, give it back.”

Dean growled in annoyance, his eyes flashing with a slow fire that hitched the angels’ breath, but Cas held the glass determinedly beyond his reach. 

“If you drink it too quickly, Dean, it will make you sick, like before. You don’t wanna be sick do you?”

The hunter relented, shaking his head slowly as he remembered keenly the sickness his fever had brought, and the resultant pain. 

“You can have the rest, to take your meds with, but you must drink it slowly. Alright?”

Castiel carefully picked the pills from the nightstand and held them on his palm toward the hunter. He was heartened when Dean scowled a little but didn’t argue about taking them but after three attempts to pick up any one of the tablets it was obvious that his focus was still more than fuzzy. 

“Here, let me help you.”

Cas took one of the pills and moved closer up the bed, his thigh pressing to Dean’s under the blanket that covered him. 

“Open up.”

Dean rolled his eyes but let his head tip back onto the pillows and opened his mouth for the angel to drop in the tablet and give him a sip of water. They repeated the process with the other tablets and Dean smiled as the cool water began to relieve the burn in his throat.

“Can’t I have some more water, Cas? I’m still thirsty.”

Cas shook his head as he placed the glass down.

“Give it a few minutes first, see if they stay down this time.”

Dean swallowed, needing no reminder that almost everything that had gone down over the past week had quickly come bouncing back. He grimaced at the thought and hissed sharply as the motion pulled painfully at his cracked lip. He touched a finger to his mouth and felt a bead of warm blood welling there.

“I have something for that.”

The angel reached into his pocket and withdrew the tiny plastic chapstick.

“What is it?”

Dean squinted, his eyes blurry so Cas held it up closer.

“It’s a chapstick, Dean. Jamie at the drugstore helped me pick the right one. I had noticed how cracked your lips were but this will make them less dry and sore.”

Cas pulled the top from the stick and wound the little wheel to extend the balm. 

“Nuh-uh!”

Dean shook his head emphatically, and pushed the angel’s hand away.

“It’s for girls, Cas. It’s lipstick. Not for dudes!”

Dean’s face registered his disapproval but the angel persisted. 

“No, Dean. You are mis-informed. This isn’t lipstick, it’s medicated with all sorts of emollients to moisturize and protect. I specifically asked Jamie about that and she explained this would be the best for your needs.”

Castiel smiled, pleased with his thoroughness but Dean’s expression didn’t show quiet the same contentment.

“Lemme get this right. You discussed what chapstick I, a guy, should use with some random girl in the drugstore?”

It came out as a bit more of a surprised squeak than Dean intended but he tried to pass it off as post injury weakness rather then embarrassment.

“Jamie isn’t random, Dean. She works in the pharmacy and was very knowledgeable. I explained that you had been badly hurt...and about the fever...and how I was very worried about you...”

He paused, finding an unexpected lump in his throat and he glanced down at the blanket, not wanting Dean to see his distress. 

“You were?”

Dean’s voice was soft, pleased at Cas’s concern and the angel raised his eyes to the hunter’s face. 

“Worried, I mean?”

Cas bit his lip briefly before he answered.

“Yes, I was. I have been very worried about you, Dean. You are...very important to me.”

Dean stared into the angel’s deep blue eyes. It was a colour that reminded him of the ocean and damn, if he didn’t suddenly really like the ocean. 

“I’m okay now, you know? You don’t need to worry about me.”

He smiled and the smile lit up his green gaze, making them sparkle like jewels, despite his remaining pallor.

“I couldn’t heal you...”

Cas swallowed, feeling moisture burning his eyes.

“I wanted to take away your pain and I couldn’t.”

Dean shook his head, the angel’s guilt pulling at his heart.

“It’s okay, Cas. I’m fine now really . This wasn’t your fault.”

He reached impulsively for the angel’s hand where it rested on the comforter and closed his fingers hesitantly around Cas’s.

“I know...but you were so hurt and I was scared I was...that I was going to loose you.”

Cas smiled brokenly and Dean leaned from the pillows, moving instinctively toward him but the movement jarred his shoulder and he flopped back, a gasp of pain slipping through his clenched lips. 

“Be careful, your shoulder...”

Castiel was on his feet instantly, easing the hunter carefully back, staring into his eyes to see how much damage Dean had done.

“It...’s...alright...I just...jarred it a bit.”

Dean hiccuped softly, trying to let go the tension in his lips and smile for the angel. 

“You’ve split your lip.”

Castiel watched as Dean’s licked at the little bloody tear, the taste of copper confirming his concerns. The hunter raised his good hand to his mouth, rubbing his finger over the sore skin. 

“It keeps happening. I guess, you’re right, my lips are all dried up.”

Cas nodded and searched the blanket till he found the discarded chapstick. 

“Then this will help, make your skin more pliant, then they won’t crack when you smile.”

“But...”

The hunter started to object but Cas interrupted.

“It’s just...I...I like to see you smile.”

The angel held their gaze for a few moments before dipping his head, embarrassed that he had spoken so impetuously.

“You do?”

Dean’s voice was hesitant, surprised but also warm with undisguised pleasure.

“I do, very much.”

Dean grinned, holding his finger protectively to his lip.

“Okay then.”

The hunter reached for the chap-stick tube and lifted it warily toward his mouth before pausing, his eyes locked on the angel’s

“Cas. If I use this, you...you can’t ever tell anyone...Okay?”

Wide green eyes bored into the angel’s blue and Castiel nodded seriously.

“Not a word, Dean. I swear.”

Dean blinked and brought the chapstick almost to his lip. 

“‘Specially not Sam.”

Cas repeated his nod.

“Definitely, No one, but absolutely not Sam.”

Dean held his gaze for a moment, ensuring himself of the angel’s fealty, then cautiously pressed the balm-stick to his dry lips. 

 

wWw

 

It felt surprisingly good. The waxy unguent was cool and silky on his sore skin and as he lowered his hand, he smiled tentatively.

“Now you have to go like this...”

Castiel pushed his own lips together and drew them over each other showing Dean how to spread the balm and watched in delight as the hunter pouted his full lips and worked them till they were pink and shiny with the slightly sticky emollient. 

“Cherries!”

Dean laughed, his tongue poking out to taste the chapstick.

“Yes, there were many flavours to choose from but Jamie and I decided you’d appreciate that one best.”

Castiel smiled, his eyes locked on the hunter’s newly plumped lips.

“They had chocolate either, but I thought as cherry is your favorite pie...”

Dean grinned, as he rubbed his lips together and licked at the fruity delight.

“So, lemme get this straight, you told this girl in the chemist that you were buying cherry lip balm for me, a dude, because I love cherry pie?”

Cas smiled, his cheeks pink and warm. 

“Well, yes, I suppose I did. Are you angry with me?”

Dean gazed at the angel for a moment or two as Cas squirmed a little. 

“Nah, guess it doesn’t matter and she’s right, my lips do feel better.”

He lifted the tube and re-applied another coat of the nourishing balm as the angel watched with barely disguised delight. 

“And it tastes good, don’t it?”

Dean licked his bottom lip, his wide, dilated eyes on the angels.

“I...I don’t know. I didn’t taste it...”

Cas mumbled, feeling a blush climbing up his neck as he watched the hunter’s tongue lick slowly at his lips.

“You didn’t?”

Dean’s voice was husky and Cas frowned slightly trying to work out if it was tiredness or the pain meds causing it. 

“You should try it, Cas. It’s sweet.”

Cas stared intently at Dean’s mouth. The hunter’s lips were pursed into what could only be described as a pout.

“I should?”

Cas’s voice was hesitant, breathlessly unsure.

“Come here.”

The bandaged man made to lean stiffly forward.

“Careful, don’t hurt your arm...”

Castiel lurched toward the pillows putting a restraining hand on Dean’s uninjured shoulder. The movement brought him within inches of the hunter’s lips and he could smell the sweet cherry aroma from the chapstick. 

He smiled, loosing himself in Dean’s vibrant green eyes as he impulsively closed the remaining few inches. 

 

wWw

 

Dean’s lips were almost as soft as the angel had imagined them and though he would never have admitted it, he had imagined kissing them many times. They were plump and pliant and deliciously warm, with just a tinge of roughness that pricked pleasantly against Cas‘s own mouth, sending shivers through his body. 

The kiss was gentle, tentative on both their parts. Skin ghosting across willing skin as hands moved hesitantly to find experimental touch. 

“Cherry...”

Castiel mumbled as he opened his eyes to find Dean’s wide green gaze.

“Un-huh.”

The hunter confirmed shyly.

“Good?”

Castiel nodded his head enthusiastically, leaning back in as his fingers tightened possessively around Dean’s upper arm.

“Mmmm...Good...”

The angel’s words were lost against Dean’s mouth as he brushed his lip slowly, feeling the hunter’s breath catch at the touch. He slid his hand up Dean’s arm, squeezing the lean muscle there, feeling the hunter’s hand move to rest against his ribs as he leaned forward needily. 

“Cas...”

Dean’s voice was raspy and the angel shuddered with pleasure as he felt the soft nip of teeth catch at his lip. He pulled his hand along Dean’s collar bone, feeling the hunter urgently drag his chin against the intruding fingers, the week old stubble scratching sensually at his skin.

“I have wanted to do this for a long time.”

The angel whispered as he placed his palm against Dean’s cheek and the hunter nestled into the embrace, his eyes fluttering with pleasure.

“Me too...I had begun to think I was wrong...that you never would.”

He smiled, casting his eyes down and the angel cupped his chin, bringing his gaze back to meet his own. He moved in closer, his leg pressing against Dean’s as he stared into eyes as green as dew-dampened grass. 

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted me too.”

Dean growled low in his throat and bit at Cas’s lower lip as his tongue darted through the angel’s open lips. 

“And I thought I was being so damned obvious.”

He laughed, tipping his head back breathlessly, exposing his throat. The angel rose from the bed and, bracing his hand on the headboard dragged his tongue slowly down the stubble on Dean’s neck, kissing and nipping as he moved until he reached the notch at the base of Dean’s throat. He pressed his lips hard against the hunter’s pale skin, sucking and biting, knowing that he would leave a mark but not caring. No, reveling in marking his lover. 

“Oh, harder...Cas...bite...”

Dean’s eyes fluttered as his hand rose, finding Cas’s hair and messing it more as he pressed the angel to his burning skin. 

The angel obliged, drawing his knee up onto the bed so he could lean and press his body to Dean’s as his blood heated with his passion. 

“Oh!”

The hunter gasped and Cas pushed harder, biting the tender skin till it bruised as his other hand played urgently down Dean’s ribs, stroking and teasing at the thin cotton that covered his body. 

“No...Owhh...Cas...h....hurtin...m...me...”

The angel felt Dean’s hand pushing feebly at him as he pinned him to the pillows and he pulled away as if suddenly burned, looking into the hunter’s pallid face, seeing real pain mixed there with desire. 

“I’m so sorry...”

He sat back on his heel, his blue eyes dilated with lust but guilt written all over his face as Dean’s freed hand shot to his own shoulder, rubbing carefully at the bandages wrapping his wounds. 

“‘S’okay, it just...caught my arm...that’s all.”

Cas nodded but his face had no smile, only contrition so Dean smiled. A shy, sweet soul-stealer of a smile that paced the angel’s heart and warmed him all over. 

“I didn’t mean for ya to stop.”

Cas stretched his hand forward and ran his thumb along Dean’s strong jaw, reaching his mouth and dragging at the hunter’s lip as Dean kissed at the digit. 

“Dean? You okay?”

Sam’s voice startled them both as he called to them through the bathroom door.The water had stopped as the injured hunter had cried out, Sam’s hearing ultra acute for his brother’s cry of pain. They heard the sound of large feet landing from the tub and Dean quirked his eyebrow at the angel.

“Oops, in-coming mother bear!”

The angel nodded seriously and shuffling back from the prone man, stepped carefully to his feet beside the bed. He leaned down and planted a tender peck on his lover’s pink, kiss-swollen lips and straightened just as Sam, dressed only in towel and water droplets moved quickly into the bedroom.

“You okay? I thought I heard you calling?”

He strode to the bedside, taking in Dean’s breathlessness and slight blush.

“You looked flushed. You’re not getting feverish again are ya?”

Sam placed the back of his hand on his brother’s forehead, sliding it down to his pink cheek as Dean wriggled irritably beneath his touch.

“I’m fine, Sam, I just...jarred my arm a bit, that’s all.”

He pushed his brother’s hand away, but his skin was still too alive with Cas’s recent touch not to smile. His green eyes tracked involuntarily to the angel’s guilty looking blue.

“What ya grinning at?”

Sam hitched his towel tighter, noticing the look his brother cast the angel.

“Nothing.”

The response was staccato, guilt-laden and too quick to not suggest the opposite and Sam’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. He held Dean’s gaze for a moment, taking in his blushed lips before his eyes dropped to the new, kiss-sized bruise forming at the base of his neck. 

Sam eyes widened knowingly and he glanced accusingly at the angel, holding the look just long enough to make Castiel moves self-consciously from foot to foot before shifting his amused stare back to the man in the bed. 

“So, guess both of you are getting your appetites back, huh?”

Sam raised an eyebrow at Dean, who had enough decency to shift against the pillows as he responded.

“Yeah, Sammy, I am kinda hungry.”

Sam grinned.

“Good, I’ll just get dressed and then I’ll make us all some dinner then. Okay?”

Dean smiled, knowing his brother was maybe a lot wiser than he gave him credit for. 

“That’d be good, Sam.”

The younger man nodded and turned for the bathroom, only to stop and step back, leaning down to the covers by Dean’s feet to scoop something on his giant hand.

“Here, Cas...”

He chucked the item in his hand to the angel who caught it deftly, a deep blush spreading over his face as he looked at the chap-stick on his palm. 

“I think you’ll need this again!” 

 

Story ends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. I hope it made you smile a little. You could let me know if you have a moment to spare.


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